India named among seven countries in IOC 'Continuous Dialogue' over 2036 Olympic bid
India is one of seven nations the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday are in “Continuous Dialogue” about hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.
The IOC identified Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Trkiye as the Interested Parties. The announcement noted that Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics and Brisbane will host the 2032 Games.
The seven Interested Parties have been invited to present their projects to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November, and the IOC has published a handbook describing the next stages of the host selection process. The selection will proceed through a series of assessments and discussions before IOC members vote to elect a host.
India formally submitted its Expression of Interest to host the 2036 Games in 2024, and Ahmedabad has been identified as the potential host city in India’s proposal. The original selection process was paused after Kirsty Coventry became IOC president and launched a review of the procedures.
The revised approach forms part of the IOC’s “Fit for the Future” reforms, which the Executive Board approved and the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne endorsed in June. Those changes build on a dialogue-based method first introduced in 2019 and are overseen by the Future Host Commission.
The IOC said candidate projects will be assessed on technical factors including the venue masterplan, athlete experience, funding strategy, political and public support, Games delivery capabilities and plans for creating a long-term legacy for host communities. The candidates will also be judged on their overall vision and how closely it aligns with local development plans and the wider objectives of the Olympic Movement. "I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character," Coventry said. "But wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do."
A high-level Indian delegation visited the IOC headquarters in Lausanne in 2025 to discuss the country’s plans; the group was led by Gujarat Sports Minister Harsh Sanghvi and included Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha, Sports Secretary Hariranjan Rao, Gujarat Chief Sports Secretary Ashwini Kumar and Urban Secretary Thennarasan. That visit took place shortly after Coventry announced a "pause and review" of the host selection process following her election as IOC president.
India remains at an early stage in the 2036 race: being listed among the seven Interested Parties does not constitute a shortlist or a secured bid, and each country must develop and defend its project through the IOC’s multi-stage process. With the Interested Parties confirmed, India’s next major milestone will be its presentation to the Future Host Commission in November.
